[center][h1][b]Sunday July 2nd, 2094 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montréal, Canada (Federated American States) 1532 EST [/b][/h1][/center] [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]Friendship[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] Jen hugged back, screaming with joy, happy to see her old friend come by. Bea was always a ball of energy, and the day they'd talked about for years had finally happened. Nobody expected Jen to be the first of the two up there, but here she was. "Amazing! Oh my god, it's the best thing! I mean, wasn't expecting it but yeah, this is surreal!" Jen replied back, giggling with the energy back, letting Bea lead her on, towards where the cameras were, the two captured together. "Oh, I don't even know where I'll put it.....definitely over the fireplace, me mam and dad would be so proud!" Her honesty bled through, as she grinned, playing back with Bea. "Soon you'll get one too, eh?" She beamed, grinning, before breaking away, the cameras beckoning her, and in for her interview, going ahead and off in front. [hr] [center][h1][b]Sunday July 2nd, 2094 Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montréal, Canada (Federated American States) 1545 EST [/b][/h1][/center] [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]Halfway Point[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] Back in the studio, the three hosts of Delta Hyper sat around the table, the background of the circuit and the fans slowly peeling away, as the trophy lift was made. "Wow, what amazing scenes we're seeing today. Rosie, how did you find that?" "Yeah, what a rollercoaster. Zygon's disqualification, a last minute dash from Jen Lowry into what we thought was fifth, Amy's crack under pressure. You just can't predict it, can you?" Rosie replied, as "No doubt, and well, Paul Mulder getting his first that way, even in spite of it will feel earned. What a result, and he is beaming." Rory added, the other pundit picking this up. "Certainly, and no doubt, we are likely to see plenty more from him in the future, as Valkyrie begin to stabilise. With the crash of both Silver Apex ships, Owen Keating at Southern Cross must be gleeful too?" Rory asked Rosie, as the chirpy presenter took a moment to think, in pundit terms. "Of course, but it still could be anyone's season, and halfway, the gap is more than closable. There is a lot to play for, and Silver Apex seeing their success must have decided enough is enough. A rare crash from Amy is one thing, but Jamie was definitely at fault there. It has to be said, his crash was silly, but he was making good moves to go up the grid. What a shame, because somewhere in there is a good AG racer, but is it just that second seat at Silver Apex, Rory?" "Perhaps, but we shall see what comes of the rumours. Aurora, what did you think about Jen Lowry's progress up the grid?" "Outstanding! Just wow, and well, with all that talk, I do wonder if the rumours are true...." "Ah, you know how these things go! I'm signing for Apex next!" Rory quipped, the crew laughing, a rare break in the ice, as Aurora turned to the camera, knowing it was about time to wrap this up. "Well, sadly for our audience at home, and perhaps thankfully for the pilots, crews, and the engineering staff, Formula AG enjoys a summer break, but don't be gone too long as we'll host a summer special. Thank you for watching, and we'll see you in Belgium for some more high-octane, incredible AG racing!" [b]Soundtrack: [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnUQrU4p8wM]NOISY- Young Dumb[/url] [/b] The ending sequence played, and with it, from rainy qualifying to the race, the smash between Amy and the wall, Harrison, Max and Layla, Kais and Jamie, Dorian and Ulrich merging into one, followed by some of the more ballsy overtakes Jen was making, the agony, the ecstasy, the feeling of coming out on top, and the feeling of clambering out of a damaged, broken ship. Canada had it all. [hr] The media was abuzz with the news of what was going down. Because at Silver Apex, Jenny was announced, and within a few days, getting operated on. And what you knew as Jenny Lowry was being changed for something compeletely different. Ready for the top level, not the bottom. In the test tube went, and out of the end came someone who was not going a half measure. She'd want to catch up with Bea at some point, that was what the summer was for after all, but the team had kept her in and away from the media to hype anything up. She'd want to do her talking on the track, and she knew the challenge ahead was monumental. But with new arms, legs, a reinforced spine, a neural link that blew her old ones out of the water and eyes, even going for a run felt like she just had more spring to her than she'd ever had. All AG pilots were top level specimens, but now, she was beginning to get it. And between the physical work, recovery, training and briefings behind the scenes, the feeling was clear. They had to take back the title from Southern Cross. At Southern Cross, more media in the Southern Hemisphere winter, Harrison getting to shred down the slopes in The Remarkables outside of Queenstown, New Zealand on what was effectively, the team's winter bash at a privately hired ski resort. Apres-ski courtesy of drinks from End of the World Brewing, and the media was let in to enjoy it all. A breather after what was an explosive season. And while developing the ship was important, thanking the team that had worked their asses off to get them here was seen as a rather valuable thing. It made Southern Cross a good place to work, and the snow-filled mountains outside of Queenstown were blowing any corporate event out of the water. Because beyond that, the team was on schedule, and the next upgrades were still on track to keep them where they wanted to be. The team thrived on that attention, it brought in the sponsor money, and it kept them afloat. At the cost of maybe their original intent? Sure, but winning came with compromise. Zygon had kept a lot of people in, and it was virtually a polar opposite. The quiet hum of techs working overtime, and the advances that Zygon had committed to earlier in the season leaping forward. A mandatory break felt like a let off, because the air was that they had to have something now that would at least give them an edge, right? Fitzroy were sadly taking down most of their signage, the internals left as they were, but it was the end of an era. Maxwell even visited the factory, shook hands with Sally Morrigan, Team Principal, and in an almost dead silence, left it behind. Despite the success of Fitzroy Orbital, he wanted distance between this, and his son's hobby was just not going to be affordable. Henry knew that as well as anyone, and there was no love lost between him and the team, because in the end, they now had nothing left. A strange feeling to go on holiday, knowing you'd come back working for someone else, and something else. As for Carrera, Valkyrie, Al-Saqr? Well, that's best left to their direction. [hr] [center][h1][b]Sunday July 9th, 2094 1900 GMT [/b][/h1][/center] [color=gold][center][h1][i][b]DELTΔ HYPER[/b][/i][/h1][/center][/color] [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]Summer Break Special Episode[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] Aurora stood by the AR-enabled backdrop, this episode of Delta Hyper a little different to others. The typically chirpy Irish presenter was alone on this one, as most of the footage was archive, or at least, of current events. "Hi all, and welcome to our Summer Break Special, and while we wait for some racing, plenty has been on the horizon in the background. Shall we see how we got here?" And with it, a review of the season so far played out. [b]Soundtrack: [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM0z2C0sMxI]Queens of the Stone Age- No One Knows[/url] [/b] The initial race in Auckland, inclusive of Ulrich's crash, tight fighting between rookies and old racers respectively, and the group photo of all the pilots, in one place, at the start of it all. The massive hit by Bea and Kais, and what ensued in the dramatic race in Cape Town with the rookies fighting it out and going toe to toe on the high-speed, high volume of scenery Lion's Head and Table Mountain. Kais coming back to take victory in Japan, in the pouring rain with the backdrop of the evening sky of Tokyo beyond, and ships skirting around the tunnels and harbourside vistas of Tokyo. Nora taking victory in Italy, roaring through the ice, fist pumped. Cassie's 2nd place finish in Portugal, clashed against the fight between Paul and Amy, and the fiery mess of Ava's Carrera ship. The crash on Luna, and the picture of Ava by Nora's side in their respective pilot suits, by their two stricken ships, with the Earth in the background. Dorian getting carried by his Valkyrie team after a decisive victory in Monaco. The slice through the grid Bea on the final lap at Silverstone and the big hit between Cassie and Paul. And last but not least, the massive clatter of Amy Stirling into the wall in Canada, smacking an end to the montage with a cut to black, with Paul on the podium and Jenny Lowry enjoying her podium finish too, and Fitzroy Orbital enjoying ending on an absolute high. If you didn't believe in Formula AG producing absolute cinema, you probably did now. All generated from the rolls of the dice, the dreams of the engineers, pilots and technical staff that made it all possible. [hr] [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]Season Review: The Teams[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] Aurora sat by the sofa again, footage running back over the season. Every highlight, but this time, tailored to each team. The reels played, running through highlights of each team. A nice time to recap, if ever there was one. "Southern Cross are in the lead of the championship, and well, what a season they've had. The plucky underdogs from New Zealand are no underdogs anymore, they seem a bona-fide force in Formula AG, and with a refurbished factory, a fan-favourite heritage and a ship that seems to flicker between untameable and unbeatable, we're seeing a team look like they will finish what they started last year. And what about Nora Kelly, the rookie who has come from nowhere, literally from the underground scene of the Outback to become a genuine world-title contender, in her very first season! The team of Kelly and the established Harrison Makara seem to be making that ship work, but with changes elsewhere on the grid, will they keep their reach on top of the championship?. Rumours abound that the partnership between the two is strained under their pressure. Chasing Stirling down for the pilots' title, one has to ask- when will tensions boil over?" "Silver Apex have undergone lots of change, and with a ship struggling for control, they turn to Jenny Lowry, who with a Fitzroy Orbital ship has put the backmarker in places it never could have gone. Clearly the ship has potential, but with such a thin operating window, many are wondering what it takes to get the most out of it and in the right hands, put the Silverstone-based team back to the top. Many are asking- will Lowry break the curse of the second seat, or is she doomed to repeat the mistakes of her predecessor?" "Al-Saqr are living up to their reputation as a dark horse this season, and haven't shaken that reputation as willing to cause an upset. The ship looks even more untamed than Southern Cross's, and many are wondering how on earth they are making it controllable, but many are assuming that the Arabian Union's willingness for biotechnology has provided a much needed edge. Either way, Kais Zenix has come out swinging this season despite his rookie position, and while the Egyptian may not be the most media friendly, no pilot underestimates him on the grid, despite his inconsistent results. Will we see him and Layla challenge the top two, and even make a dash for the Constructors title this year?" "Valkyrie have been mired in scandals, and the appointment of Alexander Knight has revealed just how deep the rot has gone at the famous European superteam. Yet in spite of all the setbacks, Valkyrie have won two races this season, both in Monaco and Canada, and Paul Mulder is showing he has his father's talent. The feel good is back at Valkyrie after an incredibly rough start to the season, not helped by losing their Chief Engineer, and renowned ship designer, Felix Burkhart. Many are asking- what happens when Dorian Hornfleur retires, and what does the future hold for the Aachen-based outfit, who certainly know they will be put under pressure by the rest of the midfield?" "Zygon hasn't had the best start to their season, after last year's difficulties in ship development, they seem to have failed to find their feet. Illegal parts in Canada took the shine off what was an up to then, high level of performance from the Seoul-base team, and it hasn't been much better behind the scenes. Cassie Neves has clearly shown sparks of talent, but the fit seems to not be there for the Scottish-Portguese pilot. Han-Hyeon Ae seems to flicker with similar consistency, and one has to ask- how long can Zygon accept such results, while avoiding scandals such as the illegal chassis modifications found in Canada? It seems like their pilots are delivering, but when will their ship and team?" "What a journey it has been for Carrera Condor. The team's rise has been meteoric, and many put that down to Beatrix Ward and Pridwen's sponsorship of the team, capitalising on a ship platform that seems rooted on a turbulent, shaky platform that she seems to relish. Ava Villarosa, who many thought would put the ship in points-paying positions has struggled in recent races, perhaps her conservative approach contrasting against the ship's increasingly volatile feeling. Yet internal expectations are increasing for the Buenos Aires-based outfit as they take on a new lead designer, and the ultra-competitive midfield will be a tough fight against bigger, established teams that are seeking to bounce back. With major upgrades planned, Carrera seek to put it all on the line and cement their place out of the bottom of the grid- but will their pilots be able to keep putting it there, and deliver against the odds? "Nordic Call have sadly underperformed this season, after what Erin Becker called "a bad development platform" just didn't yield any results this year. A typically high-grip, high ELS-designed ship just hasn't found either mark, and their retention of Bjorn Waldgard seems to be hurting them when they have the performance to deliver. Despite promise with Astrid Thorsdottir's podium in Japan, nearly repeating it again in Monaco before an unfortunate crash, the team's been in a slump, unable to match the upgrades from their competitors, and one has to wonder if they are looking to next year to make a resurgence, and get back on track. "SuperCat, currently with points only scored by their Kofi Mensah trail the pack, but many are wondering where the team is going given Kofi is retiring this year. Despite being a new team, is there any fresh energy that will come in to give them a boost into the season? Even with a tech-sharing agreement with Al-Saqr, rumours abound that SuperCat's new addition to the grid is already in trouble, and they seek investment to revive what was a promising programme into a force in the midfield." "Fitzroy Orbital seemed to be dead last. Yet Jen Lowry, who has stunned us after a rather bland first season in AG has come out swinging, in spite of her second pilot position in Fitzroy. However, we'll return to them later this programme, as they have an exciting announcement to make in collaboration with Delta Hyper." [hr] [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]FIAR and Season Event Updates[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] "At the most recent FIAR meeting in Nagoya, Japan a series of regulatory changes have been proposed. To streamline the ladder of anti-gravity racing ships, Formula AG and its affiliates are set to use the same platform that the FIA's WRC and Raid series have taken on, with the use of class systems. Formula AG would be designated as AG1 Class, whilst Junior AG, and the regional series below it would be designated as AG2 and AG3 respectively. Discussions are ongoing for such a designation to launch next year, creating a new category of ship that will replace conventional Formula series, creating a group of budget friendly regional series." "Other discussions also surround the proposed ship designs for 2096, where rumours abound surrounding a more advanced version of ELS, the reintroduction of nanite self-healing repair systems on the ships, a redesigned chassis permitting dual-hulled and more exotic designs, and enhanced agility through more complex aerodynamic feedbacks. Of note, there are leaks outlining the use of energy-based weaponry, making ELS systems able to disable entire ships forthright. Senior figures within Formula AG have denied this, but many expect FIAR will not be keen to advance any proposals to enhance the competitiveness of pilots, many of whom are ardently against such systems." "On event news, the recent eruption at Moa Therma in Rwanda has ruled out the possibility of the event taking place next month, with critical infrastructure being wiped out and the facility being evacuated in the light of safety concerns. A proposed replacement at Coalescence Geothermal's circuit at the inactive Moa Tempest facility in Hawaii has been tabled, and FIAR are looking at the technical specification of the track. The use of the circuit used between 2081 and 2087 would be a departure from our usual trip to Africa, and would represent a third visit to Oceania this season. "The track is a pilot favourite, and rumours suggest the circuit is being reactivated using the same technology as we saw in Italy earlier this year, albeit the location on the densely forested Hualālai Volcano will make it difficult to say how far we'll have the fast, flowing sectors of the Marmolada circuit. An announcement is due on the weekend of the Belgian AGP." "Similar concerns have been raised over the United States AGP, with rumours swirling that the race will be relocated due to a clash with the Classic Anti-Gravity racing festival, though discussions are uncertain on where, or when a replacement would come in. Discussions have been made around a race in Las Vegas, akin to the tumultuous 2085 Vegas AGP, or the historic Olympic Mountain Racecourse near Seattle, which hosted races between 2079 and 2084 as the second AG race in the United States. No confirmation has been made yet, but watch this space." "For the 2095 season, more discussions are taking place around where the Formula AG series will head. One of note is the German AGP being dropped, in favour of a new street race in Reykjavik, Iceland, using the old airport and inner city highways. The addition of another event, in Yucatan Rainforest of Mexico has also been proposed by the FAS as an additional nature-focussed race, but doubts exist of where it might fit in the calendar that is already pushing pilots, teams and crews all across the globe and beyond. While rumours abound of a second extra-Sol trip to Mars, FIAR event organisation has hinted that currently, no spot on the calendar exists that could manage the logistical challenge." Aurora's V/O carried over the footage, covering historic races there, and feeling like a blur through the past, as well as the stories in view. [hr] [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]The New Team on the Block[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] "Lastly, we have one particular feature to show you." And with a cut to black, the pre-recorded VO started. "James Horton, Sally Morrigan welcome to Delta Hyper. So, now we're finally ready to talk the much-talked about replacement to Fitzroy Orbital AG Racing, and as the former COO on the Fitzroy board and current Team Principal, you both know this so well." Aurora asked, sitting on the couch, with a black quilt behind, covering something up. "Thank you Aurora. I've come from a background at working at Silver Apex, McLaren, and Valkyrie, so the core of our team is excited for the next step. And I think I speak for everyone that it has been quite a while under wraps." Sally started, nodding to James, who took over from there. "It's so hard these days when there's so much going on, and we know that at home we've been unable to talk much about it. But we have a ship to introduce. And new team name." "Shall we get to it? James, Sally, we have the ship behind you. A little different than the start of season introduction, would you like to show us what you've been up to?" The keen Irish presenter asked, as James nodded back. "With pleasure, Aurora." And with it, played in the montage. One that felt a little cut and filler, from pilot training, digital renders, racing highlights, and the history of the Fitzroy team, up to now. But at the end, one name popped up. NOVA. ===================== [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]NOVA[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] Back in the studio, Sally and James looked like proud parents, if ever they had anything to show, it was about now as James stood by the curtain, looking with a beam to camera. "We're proud to introduce NOVA Racing to you at last. And here is our NVR-94, our love letter to British Racing Green, and our next chapter as Nova Racing." And with it, James stood up, the lighting in the studio shifting a little, the blackened out patch turning into a bloom of yellow, green and white light. The ship was a very different canvas to the old Fitzroy white, black and red, this time adorned with a colour pallet of a deep, nanorefractive pearlescent green tinged with a tiny amount of rose-gold in the reflection, with a secondary flair of fluorescent yellow, bordering on green to create a high contrast. A ship with plenty of minimalist-maximalist art in the digital-like barcode and symbolistic-style art and triangles that adorned it outside of sponsor logos, and every part of it screamed attention. This wasn't a just a classy Aston Martin style livery hailing back to British Racing Green, it felt bold, with triangular-like connections in the yellow secondary paint, and a feeling of it being glaring and designed to pop with the yellow. Some might say it almost ripped off the 2022 Aston Martin, but the yellow seemed to be much more prominent, and glaring in the design, with grey used for trim and carbon on the ship. The sponsors reflected that outlandish approach- the largest being Polynetix, with smaller ones including Sakura, ALPHAR, VIXN and Orchard Capital. From a British neural link firm, a Japanese supercapacitor company, a Dutch land remediation firm, a Spanish techwear clothing firm (with the most outlandish looking logo of them all), and lastly, a large British financial firm (whose logo seemed the most ordinary, even if it was a SoftBank affiliate) in the respective order, this was a ship that bled a different identity to the Fitzroy one that had been an advertising banner in seasons past. Fitzroy Orbtial had a small advertising space, but by every intent, this was a different team, a different mindset, not a complete break, but a new start. Toyota snuck in their logo on the ship's nose, reminding everyone this was right now a team in transition, but no less, a team that was backed by a factory. Aurora looked over it, the ship a clear reskin of Fitzroy's old ship, but when you had a new brand to launch, all eyes were drawn. "Wow, quite a different look! A different colour, and yes, very green! So, James, where would you say your plans lie with the team?" "Hah, well, we want to win, Aurora! This year we're staying put in Sheffield, but next year, we're relocating the majority of operations to Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan. Working with the talented team at Toyota, who have kindly helped us put together a new programme, we're using both our bases to build the best crew possible to compete for titles. We'll be bringing our British heritage forward into a Japanese environment that will bring their passion for motorsport into everything we do and build. We'll disrupt the field this year, but next year, we'll be gunning for the top of midfield." "And what about your replacement pilot for the recently departed Jen Lowry?" Aurora asked, as if on script, James giving a grin in return. "Well, we thought you may ask that. Our magnificent ships are only as good as our pilots flying them! Shall we introduce her, Sally?" James asked, as Sally grinned, nodding in return, both looking to Aurora who eyed up the shift of the set behind. The whizz of the motor could be heard of the stage moving, And with a wave, even Aurora was blown away, in shock. The orchestrally mixed electronic music built, the crescendo hitting, as the smoke broke away, and blasted aside to reveal a pilot in the brand new dark green pilot's suit, helmet in hand. And more to the point, how in the hell had they got her? Aurora jumped in on that first. ======== [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]Return of the Mack[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] "Florence Mason, wow, welcome to Formula AG again! Wow, what a comeback for the ages!" James and Sally couldn't stop smiling, as they nodded, looking across, all standing in front of their new ship, in the new green hue of the lights. The brown-haired, lightly Scots pilot was not someone anyone would have put bets on. Max Wedgewood, Kofi Mensah, even Jamie Hart, but this? This was actually bonkers. "Thank you, Aurora! Well, I keep getting involved, don't I? Well, when I heard about the opportunity, one last dance in Formula AG....well, let's just say never say never! I guess I heard about the project and once they took me through it, I thought wouldn't it be fun to try and rise through the ranks again with a team that's got so much spark?" Florence replied, grinning ear to ear, as Sally nodded, looking across, a beam on her face too. "Yeah, we're super proud to have Florence on board, she has championship-winning experience, and while many bigger teams than us were looking at her, our project at NOVA is to get to the front of the grid. That starts with a champion mentality, and Florence is with us until the end of next season to get us a ship that will perform over the odds. It will be a challenge, but Florence is super keen on us, and is already a foundation member of our team's board." Sally added, as Aurora looked in awe, simply in shock that NOVA had pulled this off. This was possibly one of the best concealed rumours on the grid- something to which nobody would have ever seen coming. Some would have said Silver Apex would have gone for their technical advisor back in the seat next to Amy- it felt so obvious, even Valkyrie's second seat would have been obvious as a pick, and Florence had quit AG to raise her child a couple years back. Something had clearly changed. Some discussion to get back a recent legend in the sport, and there was no doubt now as to what NOVA's aims were, and given she had a board position, this was clearly one that had her pegged in to invest into the team's success. Florence must have received a hell of a lot of money too, but then again, having a massive hedge fund backing your team made writing a cheque that could make a big signing was a way to go. After all, setting up an AG team required a lot of money, and the mid-season pick of pilots was either pinching from other teams, the Junior leagues, or well, something braver. And this was a brave choice. "Wow, what a statement signing. But that isn't all, is it?" Aurora asked, knowing that the other pilot was missing. Henry wasn't here. "Well....we do have another pilot to introduce. Shall we, James?" Sally smiled, as James nodded, and the stage directors replied in turn. And as the wall peeled back again, the smoke revealed another pilot that popped out, hand raised to virtual audience. =========================== Ben Hale. If there was ever a time as another team boss, or pilot in AG to be staring at your screen, it might be now. This was the sort of move that transfer legend was made of. How in the actual fuck had they managed to do this? The worst team on the grid, going through a total rebrand, the kind of thing that took a long time to get right, had gone and gotten two of Silver Apex's best supporting talent? This wasn't a lineup that was just good, this was a lineup you could win championships with if the ship could give enough. "Ben Hale, welcome to Formula AG as a NOVA Racing pilot! After a statement of dominance in the season earlier this season, wow, how are you feeling?" "Yeah, thanks Aurora, yeah same, it's just mad ennit? It's all happened so fast, but when I heard the movement on the grid, and the plans here, it all just made sense. While I'm gutted I won't be able to go for the championship title in Junior AG, seats on the grid come up so rare, and with Florence always backing me back at Silver Apex, yeah, it made sense to follow my mentor here and join her. I'm super excited for what's to come, and well, looking forward to getting started." Ben's voice was one of confidence, the half-Welsh, half-London accent now the youngest pilot on the grid. "What a pair of signings! Sally, did it all come together easy?" "Well, with movement in the season, and our good connections at Silver Apex, a lot of things changed and we weren't sure until yesterday! Ben is here on his merits, and we decided with a change in management, we'd make a change in the team too, so with Florence coming over, Ben was a natural fit to provide a young prodigy and a storied champion with the best environment to settle in. We're brave, and we're not just thinking about the experience in our team, but the new generation of talent. We're here to make that statement." Sally spoke with words that didn't sound affiliated with the worst team on the grid, by far, but given she'd been in AG long enough to know her way around, it seemed like she was speaking in spite of everything Fitzroy had been through. The terrible facility, the outdated infrastructure, poor morale, results, everything, it seemed like a fairy tale come true that a team like this had a revival. "And what a statement. What do we expect to see this season, Sally?" Aurora asked, as Sally nodded in turn, the 50-something Team Principal aware she had the pragmatism of racing down a little more than James did, the hype-man who had got all the money in for this. "Well as we said earlier, we want to be competitive. And we have upgrades already planned, some from our time as Fitzroy, but our new backers, particularly Toyota and Orchard Capital have been massively supportive at getting us up and running, the former's junior AG involvement making a perfect platform to leap into what we do. So many smaller teams have punched above their weight, and with our amazing team, support, personnel, and most of all, our brilliant pilots, we hope we'll find an edge of our own." Aurora looked to the camera, astonished even herself, finding words. "Well, what a launch this has been. A new team in Formula AG, with a bona-fide legend of the grid and one of its most promising juniors in years joining, with a striking new livery and a new partnership we can't wait to see what Nova Racing acomplishes. Sally and James, Florence and Ben, thank you for joining me!" The four-piece Nova team smiled, nodding in return. "Thanks Aurora, and yeah, keep it NOVA, we'll see you in Belgium!" =================================== With that, the cut finished, going back to the studio where Aurora stood among the displays, playing out the season up until now. "Wow, what a launch that has been. We hope you've enjoyed our Summer Special, We'll see you at Spa-Francochamps, where I am sure the headlines will run riot as we see NOVA Racing join us, Florence Mason return to the grid and Ben Hale join the grid as the newest rookie. We are in for a treat. See you then!" And with that, the programme ended, just like that, Formula AG went back to enjoying a break that it wouldn't be getting again until December. [hr] In the season break, activities ended in the factories to give the staff and teams a well-earned break, and while NOVA had an exemption for staff reallocation and media activities, the others would be off. This meant for most, this was an actual bit of spare time to spend with family, friends, a chance to catch up on other ventures, and a chance to get recentred before heading to the Ardennes.